Anti-war movie brings back tears
Source: Xinhua |
July 9, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THERE were tears in the eyes of 81-year-old Li Shulan after she watched the anti-war movie "Department of Dance." She said the movie reminded her of her Japanese daughter.
Based on the true story of Li and her adopted daughter, the film, "Department of Dance," was previewed just days before July 7, the anniversary of the Chinese People's War Against Japanese Aggression, at China's Northeast Normal University. The film touched the hearts of older people who lived through the war, as well as the younger generations born after the war.
Sixty-five years ago, Li witnessed the cruelty of her daughter being slaughtered by Japanese invaders in her hometown. A few months later, she adopted a Japanese girl left behind by the invading troops.
Li gave the girl a Chinese name, Tian Lihua, and also a nickname, Laishun, which means "all things go well." She raised the child as her own daughter until 1981 when Laishun returned to Japan.
"When I first met Laishun, she was at a refugee camp. She was very skinny and there was lice all over her," Li said. "More than 60 years have passed but I can still remember it clearly, like it was yesterday."
"My husband and I later had our own children, but we never treated Laishun as an outsider. When the other kids had three cookies, I would give Laishun 10."
Laishun grew up and married in China. She later returned to Japan with her husband and four children.
"I heard she got sick and had a tough time in Japan. It is my biggest wish in life to see her again," Li said, with tears in her eyes.
Just like Li, there are a group of Chinese mothers who adopted Japanese children after the war ended in 1945.
At the end of the film, the leading lady declares, "Hatred begets hatred with no end, while love begets love with families formed."
And as proof of this slogan, 67-year-old Japanese orphan Yang Zhiguo chose to stay in China with his Chinese family. Yang said: "I'm very grateful to my Chinese parents. I think I was very lucky."
Yang was sent to college by his Chinese parents and later became an engineer. He visited his birth-country, Japan, in 1987 but chose to stay in China.
Based on the true story of Li and her adopted daughter, the film, "Department of Dance," was previewed just days before July 7, the anniversary of the Chinese People's War Against Japanese Aggression, at China's Northeast Normal University. The film touched the hearts of older people who lived through the war, as well as the younger generations born after the war.
Sixty-five years ago, Li witnessed the cruelty of her daughter being slaughtered by Japanese invaders in her hometown. A few months later, she adopted a Japanese girl left behind by the invading troops.
Li gave the girl a Chinese name, Tian Lihua, and also a nickname, Laishun, which means "all things go well." She raised the child as her own daughter until 1981 when Laishun returned to Japan.
"When I first met Laishun, she was at a refugee camp. She was very skinny and there was lice all over her," Li said. "More than 60 years have passed but I can still remember it clearly, like it was yesterday."
"My husband and I later had our own children, but we never treated Laishun as an outsider. When the other kids had three cookies, I would give Laishun 10."
Laishun grew up and married in China. She later returned to Japan with her husband and four children.
"I heard she got sick and had a tough time in Japan. It is my biggest wish in life to see her again," Li said, with tears in her eyes.
Just like Li, there are a group of Chinese mothers who adopted Japanese children after the war ended in 1945.
At the end of the film, the leading lady declares, "Hatred begets hatred with no end, while love begets love with families formed."
And as proof of this slogan, 67-year-old Japanese orphan Yang Zhiguo chose to stay in China with his Chinese family. Yang said: "I'm very grateful to my Chinese parents. I think I was very lucky."
Yang was sent to college by his Chinese parents and later became an engineer. He visited his birth-country, Japan, in 1987 but chose to stay in China.
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